Acts 15:12–22

¹²Then the whole assembly fell silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. ^h13After they stopped speaking, James responded: “Brothers, listen to me! ¹⁴Simeon ⁱhas reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for His name. ^j15And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:

¹⁶After these things I will return

and rebuild David’s fallen tent.

I will rebuild its ruins

and set it up again,

¹⁷so the rest of humanity

may seek the Lord—

even all the Gentiles

who are called by My name,

declares the Lord who does these things,

¹⁸known from long ago. ^klm

¹⁹Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, ²⁰but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, ⁿfrom eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. ²¹For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.” ^o

The Letter to the Gentile Believers

²²Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, ^pboth leading men among the brothers.